Listen, we're appreciative of all versions of Settlers of Catan (except the card game, mostly), but this is the version we've been waiting for: the DS-bound Catan: The First Island. Really, it could have been called Catan: A Crappy Version and we'd still be chest-bumping and high-fiving; on this one, we're easy to please. Got numbers? Resources? We can make jokes about sheep? Done.
There are no details available right now beyond the fact that there will be a DS version of the mobile Catan: The First Island released sometime, and it'll be similar to the game in the video above, but this is definitely one to keep an eye on.
Konami is wasting no time in bringing us grateful westerners Genso Suikoden Tierkreis. Siliconera's Spencer was informed by a representative of Konami's North American arm that localization was already underway, and that the U.S. would see the difficult-to-pronounce RPG in "early 2009,″ which Spencer took to mean Q1 2009. We should have all wrapped up Chrono Trigger by then, right?
What we probablywon't get are the incredibly expensive two special editions of the game, which will be available from Konami's Japanese online store. For ¥10,550 ($104), the Konami Style special edition (as seen here) will include the game, an artbook, the original soundtrack, a book cover, a bookmark, and a drama CD. The second bundle will throw in all of that andGenso Suikoden Volume 1 and Volume 2 drama CDs, a 2009 calendar, and a set of four cards, and will set you back ¥19,200 ($190!). Two for the fans, we think.
To promote the release of 5th Cell's strategy/action game Lock's Quest, THQ Australia is giving away a custom DS Lite, much like THQ is doing here. However, the Australian giveaway item is different from the US one -- and it comes with more stuff!
In addition to the custom airbrushed DS seen here (if you squint), one winner will receive a $2500 gift certificate to the Bunnings hardware store, a "giant-size adjustable spanner/wrench set," a backpack with a solar panel, and copies of The Dangerous Book for Boys and The Great Castle Search. Two more winners will get all that stuff minus the Bunnings money.
The method of entry is different, too: instead of playing a Flash game, contestants must describe a new turret for the game in 50 words or less. Here's an example off the top of our heads: "This turret fires a projectile that, upon contact with the ground, causes me to win contests."
How do you like your Chocobo: hanging with Cid, or, uh, hanging with Cid? While we're clearly gonna need to choose hanging with Cid, we'll offer a caveat -- everything Chocobo has to be super cute. With that in mind, while we know you're probably more interested in Chocobo's Dungeon DS+, that trailer is tucked away behind the break, because the above video, for the Chocobo Tales sequel, is just adorable.
An official website for Exit DS in Europe just launched, and its first order of business was to announce that the game is on its way to the region. When can fine European individuals such as yourself expect to get your hands on the game? This month!
A release day hasn't been finalized yet, so we're not sure as to when this month the game will release. Seeing as how this month is half over, at least you won't have to wait that long.
After almost two years of hard slog, Starmen.net's Mother 3 fan translation patch has finally been completed, and will be released at the end of this week ... a whole month ahead of schedule! That's according to the latest blog entry on the project's site, in which team member Mato records that, "Testing's pretty much over now. Some bugs did turn up over the last few days, but they were all minor and quickly remedied. Some really hard-to-spot typos were also found and fixed."
Joyous news indeed, though the patch will require a few other things before it's of any use: namely a slot-2 flashcart, a GBA emulator, and -- cough -- an entirely unauthorized ROM copy of the Japanese game. While we don't condone piracy, a western localization of Mother 3 doesn't exactly look likely at this stage, and we do condone passionate fan projects such as this one. Hit up this FAQ to learn more, and don't forget to check out some beautiful, AnglicizedMother 3screens.
Posted Oct 14th 2008 11:36AM by JC Fletcher
Filed under: News
Let's get the obvious joke out of the way: The original name for the new GameStop initiative was "Let's Try to Get a Woman Into GameStop Maybe."
GameStop has announced a new program called "Me Time, Anytime" in which customers are encouraged to come into one of 1,500 US GameStop locations and try out the DS and its games. From 11a.m. to 2p.m. on October 18 (otherwise known as "not anytime,") this special demo station, called the "Me Time Test Drive" will be available, and employees will, of course, be on hand to answer questions.
In addition, seven GameStops in major cities (see the press release for locations) will host Marquee events from 10a.m. to 6p.m. which will include "refreshments and music" as well as prizes. Nintendo representatives will be present to "help with your Nintendo DS needs." According to the press release, GameStop stores have already started handing out "designer carrying cases" with purchases of a DS console and a new game.
We don't think transparently desperate promotions and free refreshments are going to do anything to bring more people into GameStop. For future events, we'd suggest "We Won't Make a Big Deal Out of It When a Woman Comes In" day and "You Probably Don't Want a Preorder, a Warranty, or a Discount Card, So We Just Won't Bother You About It" day.
GameStop can't take all the blame for this futile, vaguely exploitive promotion. The presence of Nintendo reps at the larger events, as well as the way the "Me Time" name ties so nicely in with Nintendo's own "I Play for Me" campaign suggests that it is a coordinated effort between the retailer and Nintendo.
Rising Star Games just unfurled an official list of Marvelous games that it plans to localize for Europe, including Luminous Arc 2, Avalon Code, Rune Factory 2, and a fourth game that is yet to be announced for North America: Steal Princess. We expected most (if not all) of these to reach us at some point, mainly because Rising Star Games is totally awesome and we love them.
Previous evidence has suggested that Steal Princess and Luminous Arc 2 won't be appearing before the end of March 2009, but we can't be mad at Marvelous. The company has had an action-packed Tokyo Game Show, and this is the cherry on top of a whole pile of other excellent announcements for Nintendo fans. Make the jump for screens, screens, and more screens!
The Tokyo Game Show has brought us quite a few things, but not many as exciting as the walking and arm-flinging in the latest Gyakuten Kenji trailer. All that effort spent on getting the movement just right seems to have worked out; the arm-flinging may be a little dramatic, but we're talking about the Ace Attorney universe, here -- the drama is what we've been craving.
Gyakuten Kenji is scheduled to come out next spring in Japan, which means it's a damn long time yet before we'll see it.
You may not be terribly excited about some of this week's releases, but it's safe to say we can all agree on one thing: there's a lot of them! My Japanese Coach may actually hit this week, as well as Korg DS-10. What'll you be buying?
Majesco has revealed a new game for the DS in Hot 'N Cold. What's it all about? Well, it's basically a scavenger hunt, much like Mystery Case Files: Millionheir. You hunt down items in virtual environments, as evidenced by the screens in our gallery below. Unlike Mystery Case Files: Millionheir though, the game is fully 3D and will feature "large environments that break new ground in the hidden object genre by being fully 3D."
Check out some screens in our gallery below and look for this game to hit store shelves in "early 2009."
No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle might be the biggest news of TGS involving Suda 51 and the letters "D" and "S," but it's not the only such news. Marvelous and XSEED have confirmed a US release for the DS remake of Suda 51's PS2 adventure game Flower, Sun, and Rain, which stars Sumio Mondo, a man forced to relive the same day, in which a sunny resort is blown up by terrorists.
Of course, the game is coming out in Europe this November, so waiting until the US release may only be a cost-cutting measure on the part of impatient Suda fans. But we're happy to be able to go into a store -- eventually -- and buy it!
Yes, indeed. Not sure what's going on here, but Nintendo's European site has updated with the surreal news that Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon will be released in Europe this December 5th -- also known as before North America. This is one of those incredibly rare examples of Europe getting thrown a bone first. Our gobs? Smacked!
We're still no closer to a specific release date in North America, with "first half of 2009" about as accurate as it gets. Maybe the rapidly weakening pound will soon make importing from Europe an attractive investment again! Stranger things have happened. This news, for instance.
Club Nintendo and its assortedfreebies may not be the only service Nintendo of America intends to import from Japan. During its megaton-filled Media Summit last week, the big N briefly discussed "Nintendo Zone", a new service that will appear soon at "DS Station" download kiosks in Japanese stores and fast food restaurants.
Nintendo Zone will be compatible with both the DS Lite (remember that?) and DSi, will offer demos and one-off content, and looks like it will make the trip to North America, after the above trademark was spotted in the USPTO database. While we're still short of an official confirmation, Siliconera notes that this was registered on October 2nd with Club Nintendo, Sin & Punishment, and Rhythm Heaven.
Well, nut. Acorn, really. Plush acorn ... in the grip of a plush squirrel. Never mind. Chances are, if you're a fan of, uh, fantasy-themed farming simulations, you've already got a copy of Rune Factory 2 preordered -- if only because there are no games in that narrow subgenre that aren't called Rune Factory.
But hey, even if you don't care about growing whatever or tending whatever or fighting whatever, Natsume will give you this plush squirrel if you preorder their game from Amazon. They keep trying to use cute plushes to sell us games ... and it continues to have a shockingly powerful effect on our resolve. Marvelous is at least as talented at designing adorable, plush-ready mascot characters as they are at designing repetitive, addictive games.
Konami is wasting no time in bringing us grateful westerners 
To promote the release of 5th Cell's strategy/action game 
_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg)
An official website for 
Let's get the obvious joke out of the way: The original name for the new 
You may not be terribly excited about some of this week's releases, but it's safe to say we can all agree on one thing: there's a lot of them! My Japanese Coach may actually hit this week, as well as Korg DS-10. What'll you be buying?
Majesco has revealed a new game for the DS in Hot 'N Cold. What's it all about? Well, it's basically a scavenger hunt, much like 
No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle might be the biggest news of TGS involving Suda 51 and the letters "D" and "S," but it's not the only such news. Marvelous and XSEED have confirmed a US release for the DS remake of Suda 51's PS2 adventure game 
Yes, indeed. Not sure what's going on here, but Nintendo's European site has updated with the surreal news that 
Well, nut. Acorn, really. Plush acorn ... in the grip of a plush squirrel. Never mind. Chances are, if you're a fan of, uh, fantasy-themed farming simulations, you've already got a copy of 
